Had tick bites in Dartmoor, looking for reassurance...

[u/rural220558]

I came back with a few ticks after a couple days in Dartmoor. I hadn't taken enough precautions while there (obviously a lesson learned), but I have removed the ticks now and am on a course of antibiotics - I went to the doctor ASAP.

Have any of you been bitten pretty bad and still came out okay? I know it's quite unlikely to get Lyme's even if you took 0 precautions, but I'm having quite a hard time with all the doom stories of Lyme disease on the internet. So I'm looking to hear if people have had this experience but it didn't end up in the worse-case scenario, just to help an anxious mind

Many thanks

[u/wolf_knickers]

I am slightly shocked that you were given antibiotics. You should only be given antibiotics if you feel unwell after being bitten by a tick. Overzealous/unnecessary prescribing of antibiotics has significant detrimental effects in the longterm.

People get bitten by ticks all the time. Only go to the doctor if you're feeling sick and/or you notice a rash on the bite site.

[u/moab_in → u/wolf_knickers]

They probably rolled their eyes "ah here we go, we're entering the season of mewling about every tiny insect bite, Will I follow the NICE guidelines, and tell them to get a grip and come back when they have actual symptoms..? ah fuck it.. NURSE, THE SEASONAL PANDEMIC IS FORMING ON THE WILDCAMPING SUB, BREAK OUT THE BARREL OF DOXYCYCLINE!!"

[u/Ophiochos → u/moab_in]

Clearly not doing that with the sedatives…

[u/rural220558 → u/wolf_knickers]

You're probably right, I wasn't expecting them to give me antibiotics either. My partner also got prescribed it for tick bites. It might be because we mentioned Dartmoor, which is higher risk for Lyme

[u/Dull_Suggestion_1682 → u/rural220558]

Your partner went to hospital because she got a tick?

[u/National_Position_65]

I’ve been bitten before, I noticed and removed them after a few hours but didn’t see a doctor or take antibiotics as this was years ago (I’m a bit obsessed with covering up now as I’m particularly attractive to bugs of all varieties). I was fine.

If you’re on a course of antibiotics already then I’d say you’re in a reasonably good position to have caught it early.

[u/Fannnybaws → u/National_Position_65]

But society won't be in a reasonably good position,if every idiot takes antibiotics when not needed.

[u/National_Position_65 → u/Fannnybaws]

Agreed, but I assumed there’d been a reason they’d been given antibiotics/the guidance had changed maybe. I know it’s not easy to get them for good reason.

[u/Fannnybaws → u/National_Position_65]

Doctor was rushed,she said. You know what people are like these days, always demanding,so if you're under pressure,you just write out a prescription.

[u/Dull_Suggestion_1682 → u/National_Position_65]

People make up all sorts of stories on forums just to entertain themselves.

[u/Imaginary_Salary_985]

Ticks are spooky and I hate them.

But I have been bitten many times. Twice I even had the bullseye rash, many years ago but luckily didn't progress with any infection.

Just be careful, and remove them quickly and be on the look out for that rash and other symptoms.

[u/TheBeardedWelshman79]

I've been bitten loads and never had an issue. On one trip a few years back to Scotland, I took 30-40 off me in one day. You just need to check for spreading circular "bullseye" rash and cold-like symptoms. If you have none of them, I've always thought I'm ok.

[u/mmnotts]

It’s relatively rare - currently, approximately 4% of ticks are infected with Lyme’s disease in the UK, and not all bites will transmit the infection.

[u/Puzzled-Job9556]

What sort of Dr is prescribing antibiotics when there's nothing wrong with you?

[u/MiddleAgeCool → u/Puzzled-Job9556]

They tend to prescribe 3 weeks of something like Doxycycline as treating Borrelia as soon as possible is the best treatment. If you can get it before the skin rash it improves the long term outcome if it does contain Lyme.

[u/thedarlingtonknight]

I’ve been bitten by ticks numerous times in the past despite taking all the recommended precautions- I’ve always just removed them as quickly as possible and then kept an eye on the bite area afterwards. If you’ve gone to the doctors to get antibiotics as well then you’ll almost certainly be fine, I wouldn’t worry about it at all.

[u/FuriousJaguarz]

Came home with one in my belly button from Dartmoor.

Didn't go to the docs. Didn't take any medication. I just kept an eye on the red mark and checked if it grew. It didn't grow so I assume I'm fine and this was 3 years ago...

[u/SillySausageSpaceman]

If you are on antibiotics then you will be fine. It is very effective.

And as you already have stated - the odds of the tick having lyme is low regardless.

Do not worry.

[u/thewalker96]

I have been bitten so many times and never had antibiotics or been to the docs. If you get them off within 24 hours the chance for a lymes disease transmission is super super low. With antibiotics you reduce that chance of infection to zero I guess!

[u/Linesmachine]

Yeh had dozens of ticks. Exmoor in particular always sees them come out in hundreds. I’m here right now and a few fell off my dog last night. I wouldn’t worry.

[u/abstract_groove]

We've all seen what happened to Miss Hoover in the Simpsons.

[u/forestsignals]

I had five or six up my legs a few years back when I was wild camping in the lakes, walking through bracken in shorts for a couple of days

Took them off with a proper tool when I discovered them on the last day, was on the alert for circles and symptoms, and nothing came of it.

Lyme’s, like car crashes, is rare. Forgetting your seatbelt once is really, really unlikely to kill you.

[u/veritasmeritas]

I live in the Highlands and constantly find the little buggers attached to me during spring and summer. They're pretty unpleasant but I've never had Lyme's.

[u/PureGinge]

Not Dartmoor, but 2 years ago I got home from a wildcamp and found 4 ticks in various places in my body, even 1 under my beard! Removed them all with tweezers following a guide on Google. Went to docs to be sure, they said Lyme disease is the biggest issue, but it can be visually seen by a red ring around the bite. I didn't have any of that, they did say to keep an eye on it for a few months though.

Nothing ever came from it. Apart from the constant fear of ticks now aha

[u/MulberryKind8298]

I've had dozens of ticks over the years and never had a problem.

[u/Alone_Masterpiece836]

There's not much you can do apart from waiting up to the C. 30 days incubation period and hope no bullseye appears. It sucks, I've been there, but stadistically its very unlikely you'll get anything.

[u/SJBSam]

Friend got bit in dartmoor funnily enough. No tweezers to take it out, so i used some thread.

Going to the doctors never crossed our minds. That was 4 years ago, been fine ever since

[u/COYS61]

Did your doctor do nothing to reassure you?

[u/rural220558 → u/COYS61]

I had to go to an urgent treatment ward, and the doctor seemed kind of in a rush / I didn't get to ask a few things. I'm also based in a city and there's less importance placed on tick bites compared to rural areas

[u/Fannnybaws → u/rural220558]

The doctor was in a rush because of people like you taking up their time when not necessary.

[u/rural220558 → u/Fannnybaws]

Yes fine, but if 111 tells you to go to the hospital, obviously you are going to take their advice and go. I didn't show up on my own accord, precisely for that reason.

If this wasn't worth a hospital visit, then that is their job to tell patients who call them for advice.

[u/Mysterious-One1055]

I had a a tick on my bag (yes that bag) from Dartmoor and panicked for a good few days later.

I didn't get antibiotics or anything but just kept a watch for anything worsening on the site. Thankfully all was fine!

Probability is very much on your side 👍

[u/National_Position_65 → u/Mysterious-One1055]

My husband had that too after we went cycle camping to through the Netherlands. I was banned from telling the story to friends for a few years after but now enough time has passed that he’s seen the funny side and allows me to tell the tale (and it was me who dealt with it and we hadn’t even been together that long). He was fine.

[u/Mysterious-One1055 → u/National_Position_65]

Lucky him! I had to awkwardly sort mine out myself as my wife wouldn't!😅

I see I got downvoted for my response haha, some people need to lighten up 🙃

[u/Bonnle]

Found a tick on my waist and managed to get it before it was big, just felt like a little itch. My friend and I got real comfortable being naked real quick, checked eachothers back and ASS 😅

[u/Similar_Care_7224]

Was in Dartmoor all weekend left Monday afternoon. Not a tick in site for moi.